By Matthew Keck–
University of Louisville researchers were awarded $1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Technologies Office (SETO). SETO awarded the U of L Conn Center researchers this money to advance photovoltaics (PV) research and development at their center for renewable energy research.
The award is in lieu of them reimagining the newspaper printing press to significantly reduce the cost of solar energy. Conn Center researchers are working on a project focused on thin film solar cell production using a roll-to-roll platform like newspapers, according to the release.
Thad Druffel, senior research engineer and theme leader at U of L, said, “This technology roll can revitalize a declining printing industry and boost a growing solar industry.